O How Shall I Receive Thee

O How Shall I Receive Thee

Third Sunday In Advent: Christ The Deliverer

Version 2

Words: "Wie Soll Ich Dich Empfangen?", Paul Gerhardt (1607-1676), 1653.
Translation: "Altered from Hymnological Christiana, and Mercer's Psalter and Hymn Book."
Text: Matthew 21: 1-9

Music: "Original Melody"
Valet will ich dir geben, by Melchior Teschner, 1613
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / XML

Wie Soll Ich Dich Empfangen, Johann Cruger
MIDI / Noteworthy Composer / PDF / Sheet Music / XML
This tune was written by Johann Crüger for this text and appeared with the hymn in its first publication in the Crüger-Runge Gesangbuch, Berlin, in 1653.

Meter: 76 76 D

Source: J. H. Hopkins, ed., Great Hymns of the Church Compiled by the Late Right Reverend John Freeman Young (New York: James Pott & Company, 1887), #33, pp. 48-9.

1. O how shall I receive Thee,
    How meet Thee on Thy way,
Blest hope of every nation,
    My soul's delight and stay?
O Jesu, Jesu, give me
    Now by Thy own pure light,
To know whate'er is pleasing,
    And welcome in Thy sight.

2. Thy Zion psalms is strewing,
    And branches fresh and fair;
My soul, to praise awaking,
    Her anthem shall prepare.
Perpetual thanks and praises,
    Forth from my heart shall spring;
And to Thy Name the service
    Of all my powers I bring.

3. I lay in fetters groaning,
    Thou com'st to set me free!
I stood, my shame bemoaning,
    Thou com'st to honour me!
A glory dost Thou give me,
    A treasure safe on high,
That will not fail nor leave me,
    As early riches fly.

4. Love caused Thy incarnation,
    Love brought Thee down to me;
Thy thirst for my salvation
    Procured my liberty.
Oh, love beyond all telling!
    That led Thee to embrace,
Oh, love all love excelling!
    Our lost and fallen race!

5. Rejoice, then, yet sad-hearted,
    Who sit in deepest gloom,
Who mourn o'er joys departed,
    And tremble at your doom:
He only who can cheer you,
    Is standing at the door;
He brings His pity near you,
And bids you weep no more.

6. Ye who with deep contrition
    Bemoan your sinful state,
Fear not, Christ gives remission
    Of sins, however great:
He comes, who contrite sinners
    Will with the children place,
The children of His Father,
    The heirs of life and grace.

7. He comes, the Lord, to judgment:
    Woe, woe to them who hate!
To those who love and seek Him
    He ope's the heavenly gate.
Come quickly, gracious Saviour,
    And gather us to Thee,
That in the light eternal
    Our joyous home may be.

Alternate Third verse from Henry Sloane Coffin and Ambrose White Vernon, eds., Hymns of the Kingdom of God:

3. Ye, who with guilty terror
    Are trembling, fear no more:
With love and grace the Saviour
    Shall you to hope restore.
He comes, He comes, who sinners
    Shall with the children place,
The children of His Father,
    The heirs of life and grace.

The editors give citation of lyrics to Paul Gerhardt, 1653, translation by Arthur T. Russell, 1851. The First and second verses in this edition largely follow those given above.

Sheet Music from J. H. Hopkins, ed., Great Hymns of the Church Compiled by the Late Right Reverend John Freeman Young (New York: James Pott & Company, 1887), #33, pp. 48-9.

Sheet Music "St. Anselm" by Joseph Barnby, 1869, from Henry Sloane Coffin and Ambrose White Vernon, eds., Hymns of the Kingdom of God. New York: The A. S. Barnes Company, 1910, #61.

Translations:

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